Yesterday, the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the beginning of the siege of Sarajevo began with an exhibition by Paul Lowe entitled “Siege” in the Sarajevo City Hall.
Paul Lowe is a British photojournalist who has witnessed many stories and events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Klix.ba writes.
The photos taken by Lowe reveal two sides of the story of besieged Sarajevo – on the one hand, this is a story of suffering and four years of uncertainty, but on the other hand, a story of incredible courage, creativity, and perseverance.
In an interview, Lowe said it is an honor for him to be here 30 years later, but also a kind of mourning.
”We are here today 30 years after I photographed these scenes. It is a great honor for me to be here today. This is great proof that the city has survived, but it is also unfortunate that the state has failed to move from some points, we are still trapped in nationalism that is regressing the state,” Lowe emphasized yesterday.
”I tried to document the incredible and powerful ways of the citizens of Sarajevo not to be destroyed. These photos are proof of the resistance of the citizens of Sarajevo, but also of all people to defend themselves from aggression. It is very sad that we have to learn to fight in order to survive,” Lowe pointed out.
”Also, another sad thing is that the greatest crimes since World War II happened right here, and now that scenario is repeating itself in Ukraine,” he concluded.